The Protection of Innocence
by Amaro
Summary: TalaxRei BryanxKai [sequel to The Love for Hate] How does craved pain ever heal a wound and bond severed ties between lovers? Can the hurt be redeemed? [one shot]


Here it is! The sequel to The Love for Hate. I was reading that story over again and just when I was getting excited about the ending (I have a tendency to forget how things work out in my story) I was caught up by this cliff hanger that bothered me until I wrote this. I can't believe I ended it that way. Sigh. I'm sorry. Anyway this didn't exactly turn out the way I wanted it to and if you remember the first story, you'll remember that it was written strangely and therefor this is not that much better :P. Anyway I hope you enjoy.

Oh and italics mean flashbacks.

Disclaimer: Beyblade does not belong to me.

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The Protection of Innocence**

Bryan nudged the sleeping phoenix awake gazing down at him with steely orbs.

"Kai. We're here." He growled softly until the bluenette came to.

"Huh?" Kai responded in an exhausted tone looking around at their surroundings before pulling himself out of the car. "This isn't where we live." Kai groaned stating what Bryan figured was obvious by the sight of a small house that resembled nothing of the uptown apartment they had used to live in.

"I rented it a while ago in case something like this ever happened." Bryan responded gruffly pushing Kai on the back to go check it out. Kai replied with a glare.

"Bryan you told me we were going home." The younger Russian snapped gazing miserably at the house that seemed more of a shack in the wrong part of town.

The two had traveled for about three weeks. Whenever Kai asked where they were going Bryan would either ignore him or shrug which caused that bluenette to always sink deeper into the passenger seat growing more and more worn out from Bryan's foolishness.

"_What are you trying to accomplish?" Kai asked angrily searching the scenery for anything familiar. This forever question brought about the forever response; nothing. Bryan would not even blink nor make any gesture that he had heard Kai, instead his eyes remained ahead of him always on the horizon as if he saw something there that Kai couldn't, something that he couldn't reach._

_Finally one morning Kai woke up to the change of motion. Bryan had stopped the car and was leaning against the hood admiring the crimson dawn. Kai had rid himself of sleep and joined Bryan._

"_Well?" He asked stretching his back of cramps developed from the uncomfortable car seat._

"_Well what?" The falcon responded in his gruff voice though his eyes softened slightly at the sight of the younger Russian, who was stretching just enough for his shirt to lift away from his pants leaving a thin line of skin for Bryan to admire, then fastening his scarf around his neck Kai turned to fix his crimson gaze on Bryan._

"_Bryan I've had enough." He stated determine to have his way. Though younger than Bryan, Bryan was never surprised by the way Kai could make his voice sound commanding so that anyone would listen to his demands._

"_We are going home." Bryan agreed suddenly, nodding at Kai's shock._

"_Finally." The phoenix sighed his glare melting softly into a smile. "Thanks Bry." Kai spoke moving in on Bryan and wrapping his arms around the taller man._

"This is not what I meant." Kai moaned again as they opened the door and were greeted by a cloud of dust. Seeing through the disturbance in the air they were met by a ruggedly furnished room that had futilely been protected by white cloths placed upon them.

Bryan ignored him setting about to flick on the power, trying to disregard the fact that though he was so close to Tala, as they were now in the city again, he could never bring himself to meet up with him. There would be too much pain in a reunion and besides he had Kai now, he thought gratefully turning to watch the boy who had taken to glaring at the room as if it had just insulted him in the worst way.

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Stepping outside to the small sun room over looking three stories worth of view Tala smiled softly at the slim figure in the corner. He placed a cup of tea next to the form who was curled up in an overlarge lounge chair.

"Rei," blue eyes shined calling his lovers name in a whisper.

The body in question hardly turned toward the red head, instead spoke barely audible words of thanks before continuing to gaze at the view.

"Kitten, you can't keep doing this to yourself." Tala told his obsidian haired love, smoothly sliding himself next to the boy on the chair and lifting him slightly so the boy could rest on his lap leaning his head gently against the red haired youth's chest.

"Tala?" The boy asked as if in disbelief turning his broken amber eyes up to meet Tala's own.

"I'm here Rei." Tala smiled wrapping his arms firmly around the slim figure.

"I'm glad." Rei whispered breathlessly sinking deeper into the embrace before emitting a silent purr.

Tala gazed down at the weakened form he cradled protectively in his arms. It had been three weeks since the 'incident,' but only one since Rei had been allowed out of the hospital. He still sported many bandages that carefully addressed several places of his body including the once he wore instead of his bandana which hid a deep scar forming a long the side of his face. Rei still wore his arms in a loose sling and limped slightly when he walked but the doctors had told them that he would recover in time.

It was not Rei's body though that Tala feared for, it was his mind and soul that seemed the most harmed. Still to this day Tala was unaware of what exactly had happened to Rei by Bryan's hand, but the neko jin had not been the same yet. He hardly spoke and spent most of his time in the sun room staring into the distance or picking at the food Tala would bring him from time to time.

Sometimes Rei cried in his sleep even though nestled in Tala's arms Rei cried out of pain and fear. He begged for a second chance from the depths of rest, praying for innocence and asking that he be granted life with Tala, however when Tala awoke him hushing away his frights in an attempt to tell Rei that all he asked for was all he had, Rei would roll his eyes as if unhearing the words and lie back down whimpering quietly.

Tala cursed himself for this, he cursed Bryan and hated the thought of what the man had done to his kitten. If only he had been there to protect Rei. He even cursed Kai for making Rei this way, it had been Kai's old violent ways that had caused so much pain for the neko jin and now it was Tala who had to pay for these repercussions.

The boy in his arms had fallen a sleep and for a moment things were the way they had always been.

Tala imagined Bryan and Kai in the other room bickering about the day's activities as they always did in a light hearted loving way, while he and Rei enjoyed the view that overlooked the ocean. These memories drifted through his minds creating more memories. Times before Rei when it had just been Bryan, Kai and himself, when Bryan and Tala had been lovers and Kai had always held his sights elsewhere. A time when Kai left them and returned again claiming he had found love.

The sight of the beautiful strong neko jin so full of life captivated his thoughts for a moment until he remembered the first time Bryan had hurt Rei. The beybattle that had decided their fate. Bryan had never forgiven Rei for this and constantly taunted Kai for taking in the boy in the first place. Tala was unsure if Rei's beating began here when Kai was frustrated or had been the phoenix's therapy the entire time Kai and Rei had been together. Tala was even unaware of the existence of such actions until a month ago when the habits had remerged in Rei.

Tala remembered it now what Rei and him had been fighting; they had fought over Tala's affections for Bryan. Tala and Bryan had broken up not long after Rei at last defeated had left Kai out of Kai's choice. The phoenix had chased Rei away, angry for the way Rei had compelled pain when it was truth to say that Kai was the one to teach him such. Tala realized that after they had left the abbey, and the pain it constantly induced, that he had outgrown his need for Bryan and his protective ways. Bryan had never been able to recover from his ever vigilance brought about by fear and Tala could no longer stand to be around the person that tried to protect him from life.

"_I have to be able to live out my life." Tala told the older Russian in a pleading tone. "I'll never stop loving you but at the same time I can no longer be around you. There is nothing to protect me from. When we were together in the abbey your paranoia meant safety now it just mean agitation for both of us. We both know how much it pains you to see me leave that door into the world without you, and yet I need my freedom! In this life not everyone is out to hurt me!"_

Bryan had always been over protective and was still, however he had granted Tala his freedom leaving the wolf to scout out and eventually love Rei, and the falcon himself found a new love to protect; Kai.

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Kai refused to ask Bryan's permission to leave the house as he had promised to, but instead grabbed a light jacket and his boots before quietly shutting the door behind him and letting himself out into freedom. Sighing a needed breath for relief he gratefully welcomed the solitude and made his way across town. If Bryan wasn't going to close the rift that had been created, the task was left grudgingly to Kai.

He kept his pace even, enjoying the air that was only granted to him due to the absence of the usual stalking falcon.

He was going to visit Tala and Rei and put an end to whatever had happened. He like Tala was in the dark about the true events between the oldest Russian and the neko jin, however he was no longer letting Bryan's demands control his life. Tala had once told him that this was why he had left the falcon in the first place because he was demanding and over protective, yet it seemed to Kai that these were the exact reason s why Kai did love him. At first it was more the sense of loneliness, after condemning Rei away from him he had been forced into being alone once again, something that the phoenix found he could no longer stand. Bryan who was recovering at the same time that Kai was mourning became the perfect companion to trust his protection to as he had become extremely vulnerable.

Tala hadn't wanted protection yet this is what Kai needed. Rei had wanted love and instead craved pain. Bryan needed anyone to accomplish the only task he felt he could do right; protect.

Kai shook his head, thoughts full of confusion. How had this all happened? The four of them had even lived together for a while of time but Bryan had disagreed with this and now such separation had occurred that Kai feared all ties with one another had been severed.

Still bearing the key to the apartment that up until recently they had shared he climbed the three set of stairs to the compartment at the end of the hall. Knocking lightly he unlocked this door to entering the silent room.

"Tala?" He called softly through the dusty air, it seemed so different to the house they had all shared less than a month ago. How can changes occur so fast and for the mere reason of loosing its liveliness? "Rei?" He called again a little louder. Searching the house until he found the two on the deck.

"Kai!" Tala remarked with hushed surprised for Rei was still sleeping in his arms.

"How is he?" Kai asked compassionately coming to sit next to Tala on a smaller chair.

"He's doing better." Tala responded trying his best to keep up a firm smile but Kai could see through it.

"Honestly?" The phoenix asked seeing the break within Tala's mask.

Sapphire eyes shifted down in reply in a knowingly way, and almost unconsciously Tala began to pet Rei's soft hair gently stirring the boy. The way Rei raised his head in order to meet Tala's gaze, and then feeling Kai's presence, the way he switched his gaze to meet the phoenix's fire, this simple strained gesture was enough to answer Kai's question.

"Hm." He sighed watching the two interact silently, smiling slightly at the way the lovers seemed to understand one another no matter how short their sentences nor the subtleties of their actions. Kai found himself almost wishing he had achieved this same relation with Bryan.

Rei seemed to have exhausted himself though and leaning back against Tala he drifted back into the depths of rest.

"Well things have been better but…" Tala sighed sadly concerned for the neko jin that was not showing many signs of regaining his strength. "I can't understand what Bryan did to him."

"I-" Tala and Kai froze hearing a new voice from behind them. "I told him," The rough voice continued in an almost shamed tone. Bryan came into full view of them his arms folded firmly across his chest he took to leaning against the railing studying Kai sternly, then Tala apologetically and then finally his steel eyes drifted over Rei where he expressed a look that crossed his face quickly that almost resembled sympathy. "I told him that I gave him a chance to love you Tala." Bryan sighed looking down.

"A chance to love me?" Tala asked astonished, "but it was I who chose to love him.

"I said that he didn't deserve you, and that he deserved to die but even that was too good for him." The lilac haired boy retorted bluntly though both Tala and Kai noticed he choked when he spoke as if admitting what he was telling them was difficult for him. "I told him that you loved him because he was innocent and not because he was tainted by the same pain that plagued each of us," Bryan concluded referring 'us' to Tala, Kai and himself.

Tala stared at Bryan eyes wide. "You what?" He gasped angrily. "Is that why you think I love him?" Tala shouted silently careful not to wake Rei again.

"Then why?" Bryan asked Tala while flashing Kai a look which the phoenix rejected.

"Why what?" Tala begged for an answer feeling Rei waking now. "Why did I break up with you? Because you were the one who wouldn't figure out pain, not Rei. You couldn't let it go."

Bryan looked down now understanding. Grabbing Kai roughly on the shoulder he pulled up the phoenix who glared but was quickly caught into a hug instead. "I'm sorry Kai," he whispered "I guess I spent so much time trying to figure out why I lost Tala that I didn't realize what I had." Bryan spoke deeply and quickly overtaken by his own revelation.

"Tala?" Bryan question hesitantly but was confronted instead by a smile.

"Its Okay Bry," Tala told the man continuing to smile softly, but panicked slightly as Rei raised his head again and looked into Tala's eyes.

"I was a wake the whole time." The neko jin whispered softly looking from Tala to Kai who leaned deep against Bryan and then finally he let his eyes fix on the falcon.

"Rei," Bryan responded to the gaze feeling vulnerable under the amber eyes.

Rei shook his head disregarding Bryan and fixing his gaze now on Tala. "In truth this was my fault to," he whispered hardly audible. "I hated the idea of a fight so acted out in order to end the fight quickly without realizing that I would in turn hurt you. I'm sorry Tala." Rei sighed nuzzling himself closer to the wolf. Tala smiled happily stroking the boy's back admiring his warmth.

Bryan looked out on the view still clutching Kai tight. Everything happens for a reason, he thought mildly, and maybe it was my fault, that it was me that craved the pain that I hated Rei for. Things were going to be different now, running away nor masochistic manners were the solution, Bryan sighed to himself, maybe that was what he and Rei had in common. Almost smiling the lilac haired Russian looked to Rei who mysteriously exchanged a look with him before smiling in turn to Tala and Kai.

Tala dug deep into Rei's golden pools and tugged at his hair gently almost laughing, a sudden overwhelming joy coming across him. In the end Rei would heal and it was a final catalyst that would bring this about. Silently he thanked Bryan for his appearance and Kai for presenting the neko jin in the first place. This was how things were suppose to be, Tala contently thought. These were the habits in which innocence could be protected.

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Well there you have it I hope it left everyone a little more fulfilled, it did such for me. I didn't really like how it ended so you must excuse me I thought it was too corny and blah. but the point is I actually wrote and finished a sequel! Is proud. Please read and review. 

Chapter 8 of Heaven is not Enough will be up by the end of this week. Oh and Happy New Year Mina-san!


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